Ecclesia Dei
The authorization for the celebration of the Tridentine rite at St. Peter’s in Rome was a happy event. But things are not as simple as they appear. Recently an Austrian priest went to Rome, to assist at the Mass of May 24, wishing to take advantage of this generosity. When he presented his celebret,1 he was told that it was no longer valid. When he expressed his surprise, they explained to him that only the celebret carrying the signature of the current president of Ecclesia Dei, Cardinal Castrillon, were acceptable. His own, signed by Cardinal Mayer, was no longer valid. In other words, each time the aforementioned commission changes its president, all priests have to renew their celebret.
Even the French Republic, bureaucratic as it is, does not demand the renewal of identity cards with each change of president.
